[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Ewan McGregor is the biggest bright spot in the prequel era, though I liked Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon.

I still think the biggest problem with the PT (other than "kidding" it up with young Anakin, Jar-Jar, and the horrible script-writing) is that the interesting complexities of what was going all (Really, all of Palpatine's subtle manipulations) were mostly absent from the film.

The novelizations of The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith are quite excellent, IMO. And there are a lot of powerful moments and scenes that are lost on the silver screen.

Revenge of the Sith, especially... there was a lot more going on during the lightsaber duel between Dooku and Obi-Wan/Anakin than was shown (basically, Dooku's "Oh, shit" moments... first realizing that Obi-Wan and Anakin have become incredibly more powerful and changed their styles of combat, making them much more dangerous than him... then realizing that his master has been planning to replace him all along).

I honestly think the first movie should have been more about Palpatine working behind the scenes (including some elements from the Darth Plagueis novel, perhaps) to set things up, with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as the primary protagonists sans- Jar-Jar (entirely), Amidala (entirely), young Anakin (until the end).

If that movie had been Qui-Gon investigating a "lead" he had received from the Living Force, noticeably going against the council, and eventually discovering Anakin, while Palps worked in the background, I think it works much better and sets up the rest of the trilogy much better.

Qui-Gon can still die at the end... can still have the epic lightsaber battle with Darth Maul (this time, probably fighting a stalling action against him so Obi-Wan can "get the boy out!").

Second movie can still set up the Clone Wars (with more emphasis on Palpatine's manipulations) ... Third movie can still feature the Clone Wars, Order 66 and Anakin Skywalker's fall/mutilation.

Making these things kid-friendly just destroyed them.

With children comes an almost unlimited amount of profit. They can't help but cater to them.